Police search for bodies of THIRTY children 'buried in Texas mass grave'

 

 

By Paul Bentley

 

Last updated at 2:16 AM on 8th June 2011

 

The FBI are searching for the bodies of up to 30 children said to have been buried in a mass grave at a home in Texas.

Officers were allegedly tipped off about the gruesome burial site by a neighbour in Liberty County, located in the rural county east of Houston.

Up to 30 dismembered bodies are said to have been buried at the home, with the majority thought to be the corpses of children.

 

Searching: Officers survey the scene, where they are searching for a mass grave

 

 

 

The FBI are investigating and about 15 police cars, sniffer dogs and a helicopter are on the scene, at an intersection of two roads between Hardin and Daisetta.

The owner of the property, trucker Joe Bankston, told local paper the Houston Chronicle that his son Joe is a convicted sex offender, but said the boy hadn't lived in their home for more than a year.

 

'He lived with us for a little while, but had to go to Michigan about a year ago for a court appearance and never came back,' Bankston said. 'Last I heard, he was in Ohio.

Bankson, who left the home on Sunday and is currently in Dallas, on route to Georgia with his wife, insisted he had no idea why police were searching his house.

Closing in: Police officers raid the home in Texas to search for bodies

 

 

Mass grave: The FBI are investigating the scene, where 30 bodies are said to have been buried

 

'I haven't killed anybody,' he said. 'And I have a lot of friends, but I haven't helped anybody bury any bodies.'

This evening, there remained much confusion about what officers had discovered at the scene.

 

A Texas county sheriff's office said on there was no evidence yet that bodies had been found - after initially saying up to 30 corpses were discovered.

Law enforcement sources, however, claimed at least 20 bodies have already been dug up by authorities.

A federal source told CNN at least 20 had been retrieved while a CBS source said police had found 'a lot of bodies'.

Raid: Police cars surround the land this evening

 

 

 

Grave: The land where the bodies are said to have been found

 

Liberty County Sheriff's Department spokesman Rex Evans said: 'The details provided to us indicated there may have been a violent crime scene here.

'We have found some circumstances that have raised some questions and we have requested a search warrant.

 

'As soon that warrant arrives here at the scene we will further our investigation.'

A spokeswoman for the FBI told MailOnline: 'We were asked to assist the investigation. We are there in a supportive role.'

The "tip" to the police was from a psychic. There wasn't actually anything there.

 

"But in the end, there was no grave, there were no bodies and there was no sign that any crime had been committed — except, perhaps, the misleading call that created the spectacle in the first place."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/08/us/08graves.html

I feel bad for seeing that as an anti-climax. :shame:

And before I heard the update this morning, I was thinking to myself

 

 

Texas Chainsaw Massacre : rural Texas

 

as

 

Jaws : east coast beaches during the summer

So actually there are no bodies?

So actually there are no bodies?

 

correct

Yes, this particular story was indeed ultimately a "fail".:dozey:

I find it funny that they took the crazy lady seriously.

You have to verify someone's tip as bullshit when that type a statement is made, even if it's coming from a psychic. They did find blood and a smell of rot on the property, but were able to determine their sources and ultimately verify the tip as false. If police agencies had the ability to blow off people generally (or through experience) found to be less than reliable, and one tip like this one tuned out to be true? That'd be far far worse than wasting manpower and resources invalidating the claim.

I find it funny that they took the crazy lady seriously.

 

Superstition is pretty prevalent in parts of Texas.